1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to luggage cases and is more particularly concerned with an improvement to the valence provided along the confronting edges of the two sections comprising the luggage case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide a load-bearing metal valence along the peripheral edge of each of a pair of luggage case sections which are made of soft or comparatively rigid material, such as extruded aluminum or magnesium. In luggage cases of this type, the valence strips are secured to the case sections usually by rivets or by crimping the edge of the case sections into appropriate grooves in the valence.
Valences used in prior art luggage have varied dramatically with some such valences requiring that the edge of the luggage case to which the valence is attached be melted into a barbed valence to secure the valence to the edge of the case. A valence of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,365 issued to J. M. Herring, Jr. on Jul. 13, 1965. Other valences such as of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,057 issued to Holtzman, et al. on Apr. 3, 1973 show male and female extrusions that provide a recess in a surface thereof to receive an edge of a luggage case section with the edges being secured in the grooves by conventional fasteners.
Other valences suggest that the edges of the casing be bent in order to conform with grooves or channels provided on the valence whereby upon the application of a clamping member, the valence is positively secured to the edge of the luggage case section. An example of such a valence is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,768,720 issued to E. H. Nelson on Oct. 30, 1956. The U.S. Patent to B. Shwayder granted Aug. 14, 1956 under U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,682 discloses a valence wherein a groove is provided for receiving an edge of the luggage case and a bendable arm is moved into crimping engagement with the edge of the luggage case section to secure it in the groove. The valence disclosed in the Shwayder patent is also of interest in disclosing the use of male and female mating sections along confronting edges of the luggage case sections to provide means for rigidifying the joint between the two sections.
Some valences are not as strong as would be desired and do not present an appealing aesthetic appearance both from the outside and inside of the luggage case sections. Further, the prior art confronting valence elements do not provide means for sealing the interior of the luggage case from the ambient environment. Accordingly, while prior art valences exist in numerous forms, they have not proven to be entirely satisfactory. It is to overcome the shortcomings in the prior art that the improved valence of the present invention has been developed.